Offa of Mercia seems to have ruled…
798 CE
Offa of Mercia seems to have ruled Kent directly from 785 until 796, when the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Offa died and Eadberht, "who was by another name Præn", took possession of Kent.
Eadberht had apparently previously been in exile on the continent under the protection of Charlemagne, and his rebellion has been seen as serving Frankish interests.
The pro-Mercian Archbishop of Canterbury, Aethelheard, flees during the rebellion.
Cœnwulf of Mercia is engaged in correspondence with Pope Leo III at this time concerning the situation of the Church in England, and in the course of this Leo accepts a Mercian reconquest of Kent and excommunicates Eadbert, on the grounds that he was a former priest.
After Eadberht is defeated in 798 by Cœnwulf, he establishes his brother Cuthred as a client king.
Cœnwulf according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle "ravaged over Kent and captured Eadberht Præn, their king, and led him bound into Mercia."
A later addition to the Chronicle says that Eadberht was blinded and had his hands cut off, but Roger of Wendover states that he was set free by Coenwulf at some point as an act of clemency.